Tanzania on Wednesday extradited three suspects, including an alleged drug kingpin, who are wanted in the United States on narcotics trafficking charges, the US Embassy said. Tanzanian President John Magufuli launched a drive against narcotics in February, reflecting growing international concerns that East Africa is being used as a hub by drug traffickers. Khatib was arrested by Tanzanian authorities in 2014 for smuggling more than 200 kg of heroin. The US Treasury Department said last year that he was a major international drug kingpin who smuggled multi-tonne shipments of heroin and cocaine to Africa, Europe, Asia and North America via his East Africa-based drug trafficking organisation. The Tanzanian national is also accused of having overseen an extensive drug network in Latin America that distributed South American cocaine into East Africa en route to Europe and China, according to investigators.

Source: The Star May 03, 2017 09:56 UTC